| User |
Message |
Ripperdoc1
Posts:
Joined: 12/31/1969
Credibility: pts
|
I attempted to log into my CoH acoount a few days ago to find that my account had been permanently banned. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I didn't even get an email telling me WHY it was banned. The first thing that went through my mind was that someone, somehow had managed to hack my account. So, I tried repeatedly to contact Customer Support by phone. That's an entirely separate ordeal that I'll go into later on in the story/
Several phone calls and support tickets later, I get this response back:
------------------------------------------------------------
Response (PJ) 02/01/2008 11:32 AM
Greetings,
Thank you for verifying this information. The owner of the credit card, that was used to pay for the subion fees on this game account, contacted the issuer of the card claiming that the use of the card with our service was not authorized by them. As a result of this dispute, the issuer of the card has reversed the funds paid to NCsoft back to the issuer of the card. Due to this claim of unauthorized credit card use, which resulted in a chargeback, this PlayNC Master account and all associated game accounts have been permanently closed and are not eligible to be reactivated.
------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT??? The next thing that went through my mind is that someone had gotten my wife's credit card info somewhere online. So, I had my wife call American Express to find out what was going on.
Keep in mind what I just quoted you directly from Customer Support.
American Express faxed my wife a copy of our statement with the current charges listed. On this statement was the charge to NCsoft - PlayNC Games - Austin TX (withholding their 866 phone number) - $14.99 on Jan. 19 2008. The charge was not only paid by American Express, they also gave us the reference number for the transaction. Here's were NCsoft really steps in the poo.
Having been told by NCsoft that someone from American Express had called them and told them they had been contacted by the cardholder and the charge was fraudulant and they were going to chargeback the money to the cardholder, we queried American Express about it. They are leagally required to make a notation on the cardholders record if any instance of ID theft or fraud occurs so that there is a record for the company. They had received no such call from the cardholder and they had not contacted ANYONE at NCsoft about such an incident. Obviously so, as my wife is the cardholder and the charge is one that she and I made!!! The Customer Support Rep at NCsoft LIED! My wife had all the information faxed to her from American Express. I'm sitting here with proof, in hand mind you, that they flat out lied and cancelled my acoount for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
This brings me to the issue with phoning Customer Support. Don't bother calling the 1-512-225-6359 number. All they do is get some very basic info from you and then tell you they can't help you. The last time I called, I asked the NCsoft rep what I needed to do to get my account re-instated once all of this was cleared up and this is what he told me...
"Not my call. That's up to the Accounts department. It's up to them. And there's no way to contact them by phone or I would have put you through and passed you off to them."
I didn't ask him to re-instate my account. What I asked was, "What is the procedure that I need to follow to have my account re-instated?".
The response I got was, "I mean, I guess you'll just have to start another ticket."
So, here's the basics...
1. The card was valid.
2. The charge was paid to NCsoft.
3. NCsoft LIED about what transpired.
4. I have hardcopies from American Express that prove they lied.
5. They banned my account for no reason and then lied to cover up their mistake rather than just apologizing and accepting responsibility for what they had done. I'd like to give them the benefit of a doubt and say they got my account confused with someone's account that probably DID fraudulantly charge a credit card. But, I don't think that's the case at all. I really don't know why they did it, I just know that I was punished for someone at NCsofts' mistake. It was certainly no fault of mine or American Express. This is an indisputable fact.
I don't expect people to stop playing CoH just because some guy on the internet was shafted by NCsoft. But, people need to know that NCsoft doesn't care about Customer Support or doing what's right when they make such an obvious mistake. They refuse to even issue an apology for it.
I can't believe this is how they treat their customers.
***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***
|
| 02/02/08 18:25 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
Solarix
Posts: 33
Joined: 08/13/2006
Credibility: 0 pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
damn. that sucks, man.
when i first started CoH i had a different account (granted, my highest was lvl 6 but nonetheless...), and i deactivated the billing for like 2 months, then when i tried to get it back up, it was gone! the only time ive seen it up since then was when they reactivated everyone's accounts for a weekend as a promo, but i could never find it on the plaync website, even though i had my old username and password. grr!
My DeviantART
City of Heroes
Global Name: @Lethal Dose
Virtue
Lady Arya - lvl 50!! D3 defender(main)
Luna Moonlink - lvl 27 Peacebringer
Ethereal Phoenix - lvling Fire/Kin Controller
Aurelei - lvl 28 Warshade
Amazing Alice - lvl 21 Dark/WP Scrapper
SpecOps Wink - lvl 36 claws/regen scrapper
Imamu - lvl 24 sonic/ice blaster
Phoenix Android - lvling Psy/Fire Blaster
SpecOps Psion - lvling Psy/Mental Blaster
SpecOps Aether - lvling Dark/Energy Tanker
Arya Android - lvl 21 Robots/Dark Mastermind
and various others...
Freedom
La Psypathe - lvl 34 FF/Psy Defender
True Psight - lvl 28 illusions/empathy controller
Tru Element - lvling Ice/Thermal Controller
Plus, I play Guild Wars.
|
| 02/02/08 18:33 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
lani
GameAmp Staff
Posts: 570
Joined: 09/08/2005
Credibility: 28 pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
Bad as this is, it's not actually NCSoft shafting you, that's not their policy. This is a **screw up** by accounting support and there should be a means to escalate this to a higher level.
Mind you, NCSoft's support branch is headed not by Customer Service Managers but by PR and marketing managers, so they care more about their public face than actual quality of service.
You got two options:
Make your case on paper and send it to:
1) US NCSoft offices: Complaints department
2) Better Business Bureau: Complaints department
Edited by Nasali for language, just keeping it clean.
***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***
MMORPG (Roleplaying): Mostly Men Online Role-Playing Girls
MMORPG (Acheivement): Miserable Malcontents Online Rehashing Past Glories
MMORPG (PvP): Macho Men Obviously Really Prefer Griefing
MMORPG (itemization): Misers May Obfuscate Recently Purchased Gold
MMORPG (Social): Virtual Worlds with Virtual Wealth and achievements, but with Real People with Real Feelings.
|
| 02/02/08 20:38 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
Aurrius
Posts: 31
Joined: 06/11/2006
Credibility: 0 pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
| QUOTE | Bad as this is, it's not actually NCSoft shafting you, that's not their policy. This is a ****** by accounting support and there should be a means to escalate this to a higher level.
Mind you, NCSoft's support branch is headed not by Customer Service Managers but by PR and marketing managers, so they care more about their public face than actual quality of service.
You got two options:
Make your case on paper and send it to:
1) US NCSoft offices: Complaints department
2) Better Business Bureau: Complaints department |
3) Sue them.
Come on! You probably all live in America (I don't)! You can sue your puppy there because it didn't poo outside!
***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***
@Aurrius | Paragon Knights | Ultimate Darkness | Union
| QUOTE | His name was Hearthbourne
Plays City of Heroes till the break of dawn
He likes his Scrappers
But will not settle for those Blappers
But when he gets out Thundercharge
Those PvP'ers die in the large |
My guides:
Broadsword/Regeneration Scrapper
Claws/Regeneration Scrapper
Energy Melee/Electric Armour Brute
Dual Blades/Willpower Scrapper
|
| 02/03/08 00:02 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
apelos27
Posts: 0
Joined: 09/29/2007
Credibility: 0 pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
hey .. something almost along the same lines happened to me a few months back. My account got cancelled and they left me hanging. Im sorry to say but theres nothing to do about it. When i asked to speak to the customer support manager i was slammed on!!!
It is the most irritating situation ever and sadly we cannot do anything about it.
You have my sympathy and i know exactly how it feels.
|
| 02/03/08 02:46 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
RonJ73
GameAmp Staff
Posts: 2
Joined: 01/10/2005
Credibility: 0 pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
When you call, WRITE DOWN the name of the support rep you speak to, and the time you spoke to them.
If you don't get the desired results, ask to speak to a supervisor, but BE NICE ABOUT IT. Being nice is key. If you're rude to a support rep, you won't get results.
When you speak to a supervisor, WRITE DOWN their name and the time again. Continue escalating until the issue is resolved.
Through this process, maintain the "being nice" you will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar. :)
City of Heroes/Villains
Onion - L50 - Katana/Super Reflexes/Body Mastery Scrapper
Scotch Bonnet Girl - L50 - Fire Aura/Fire Melee/Pyre Mastery Tanker
RonJ73 - L50 - Stone/Energy Aura Brute
Aurora Australis - L50 - Willpower/Energy Melee Tanker
|
| 02/03/08 11:21 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
Ripperdoc1
Posts:
Joined: 12/31/1969
Credibility: pts
|
| RE: NCsoft account banning |
|
|
|
I've posted my story on several gaming forums. You'd be amazed at the number of people that have had exactly the same situation, or something very similar, happen to them.
When that many people experience the same problem, then you can say there is something seriously wrong.
|
| 02/03/08 11:31 |
Login to rate this user's post! |
